LGMA Launches Hand Washing App
October 28, 2015 
The California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA) has launched an app, available on iTunes for iPhone and iPad, designed to help train field workers on how to properly wash their hands while on the job.
“Handwashing is perhaps the most critical of all food safety practices used in the production of leafy greens and other fresh produce crops. It’s the first line of defense in protecting our food,” says Scott Horsfall, President and CEO of the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA), a program established in 2007 to prevent microbial contamination of leafy greens by verifying a set science-based food safety practices are taking place on farms. “While handwashing may seem like a simple task, a quick soak or wetting of hands without using soap is not good enough to remove microbes. To do the job right, there are six basic steps to be followed. Effectively training workers on how to properly wash their hands can be difficult and time-consuming.”
Horsfall explains this new training app takes about five minutes to complete and includes step-by-step directions, clear captions, photographs, video footage, and exercises to reinforce concepts. There is also a multiple choice quiz at the end that users must complete (and pass) to ensure information presented is understood. In addition to handwashing, the app also teaches proper use of gloves and hand sanitizers that are used by some farming companies. The app is free and it’s available in English or Spanish versions.
“This is a really comprehensive tool developed by noted expert in food safety training Dr. Sergio Nieto Montenegro of CTS Consulting,” continues Horsfall. “Dr. Montenegro has worked our sister program, the Arizona LGMA, on its training programs and is working with Mike Villaneva, the Director of our own LGMA Tech training program to develop the California LGMA’s food safety program curriculum. The app is a great addition to LGMA’s many other training tools, because it’s something that’s portable, easy-to-use and it offers the opportunity for consistent training from company to company.”
To download the app, simply visit the iTunes App store and search for LGMA Interactive Handwashing and Glove Usage Training.
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